Saturday, December 6, 2008

The Breath of God

For Saturday, December 6th Exodus 14:21-23 Ruah (Hebrew) and pneuma (Greek) both translate spirit or Spirit, but their root meaning is breath. In today's reading ruah translates wind. The Scriptures paint a picture of struggle against the waters and the power of a wind from God to overcome them. This theme recurs throughout the Bible. In the opening verses of the Bible we find the formless earth covered with chaotic waters but surrounded by the ruah elohim, the breath-wind-spirit-Spirit of God. In our reading today the qadim ruah, the east breath-wind-spirit-Spirit pushes back the water so the Israelites can escape. "But wait," someone says. "In this reading it must mean wind because it doesn't use elohim for God." Then we read on and Exodus 15:8 says this ruah comes from God's nostrils. Before I get to my point I want to look at one more occurrence of the breath-wind-spirit-Spirit and water. In Matthew 3:16 Jesus comes up out of the waters of baptism and the pnuema tou Theou, the breath-wind-spirit-Spirit of God, pronounces him the delightful Son of God. So, what's my point? Let me ask a few questions. What do the waters of baptism represent? Death/burial. What did Paul say occurred when the Israelites passed through the Red Sea? Baptism. (1 Cor. 10:1-2) And didn't life come out of the waters of chaos as the Spirit moved over them in the beginning. We have ended this week in a crescendo of hope! For some of us the economy looms dark on the horizon. Others, unsure about relationships or threatened by failing health struggle to find a promising future. Take courage. Hope comes with your next breath. Close your eyes and envision your present darkness. Take a deep, deep breath and as you let it out, pray this prayer. God, breathe your Holy Spirit into my life. Bring order from chaos, safety in the presence of danger, and a blessed affirmation of your presence in my lonely world.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

A Man of the Soil

Thursday, December 4th Genesis 9:8-13, 20 I'm not usually a big fan of reading one verse out of context. But sometimes that's good for us because it focuses our thoughts. Sometimes it sends us into the context a little deeper. In the book What Color Is Christmas? that we offered to our families this Christmas, today's reading focuses on the rainbow promise in verses 8-13. Then it mentions that Noah planted a vineyard to prove God continues to give life. When I read verse 20 I started thinking about how Noah planted this vineyard, made wine from it, got drunk and passed out naked in his tent. In my mind I rushed to what I knew was... the rest of the story. But since I had just that verse up on my computer screen, I took a second look. Then I noticed how it described Noah. A man of the soil. I think that's a compliment. Adam was a man of the soil. God seems to be fond of men of the soil. I like Ted Johnson and he's spent many years in the soil. This reminds us of God's goodness and his gift of life, for sure. But it says something about Noah too. It says that after he did this big job for God he went back to what he knew, maybe even what he was made to do. All of humanity was gone. He had lived through greatest tragedy of all of history. What would he do? Live. Cultivate. Grow. I think farmers must be the most hopeful people in the world.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Into the Great Unknown...

Genesis 6:5-8; 7:13-16 Its been a long time since I really thought about the story of Noah. It is a fun story about a man and his ark. How does he get all those animals on that boat? Did it smell? Was it loud? Even if you can explain to me then how they all fit...where did he store all the food? Those questions aside, I also wonder if Noah knew what he was getting into? We have seen the scene over and over again as people make fun of Noah for building this "ark" and yet he continues to build. I have to think there was doubt in his mind. Even as the animals start coming to him and his family enters the boat, he has to be thinking what he is doing is crazy. But he closes the door, settles in, and begins to ride the wave. For me there is room for doubt when it comes to this season of Advent. What if? That question creeps into my head a lot more than I would like to admit, but slowly I'm beginning to be okay with that. I have to think Noah was "hoping" he was doing the right thing. Just like Anna was "hoping" one day to see the Savior. And like I'm "hoping" a lot of things. Noah wasn't a robot with no feelings, there had to be some questioning and a whole lot of hope.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

That Crafty Serpent

FOR TUESDAY EVENING DECEMBER 2nd Genesis 3:1-5; 13-15 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals... Isn't that an interesting word? Crafty. The NIV, TNIV, NASB, and NRSV all use it. Others use shrewd or cunning or clever. The NET Bible notes say that the Hebrew word 'aram basically means clever but it can be used in a positive sense meaning something like prudent. Proverbs uses it this way. Or, it can mean something negative like cunning or, more interestingly crafty. The American Heritage Dictionary says crafty comes from an Old English word meaning skilled. The serpent's got skills! And it seems Adam and Eve are powerless against them. And no one after them has done any better. Quite frankly, for thousands of years our situation has seemed hopeless. But there, in the second half of our reading God offers hope. The serpent is cursed to crawl on his belly and he is promised that a descendant of Eve would crush his head. That descendant is, of course, Jesus. With all of humanity we await his birth as the sign of Satan's certain demise. And, with all of humanity we await Jesus's return to deliver the final crushing blow. No more of his tricks. Doom for that crafty deceiver.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Our Intimate Creator

FOR MONDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 1st. Genesis 2:4-9 Everyone of us... every one from the babies that fill our nursery all the way to Ben Tatum (because I think he has the earliest birthday) need to be reminded that God made us. We need someone to hold us close and breathe on us and say, God breathed life into Adam. Soon enough, tomorrow's reading in fact will remind us of Adam and Eve's fall. Soon enough we will need hope. But tonight we are reminded of what we hope for... reunion with our intimate Creator. And this sets our Creator God above all others. He is so big, so powerful, so far above us that he could speak the universe into existence. Yet, he knelt down in the clay and formed the human. Then with divine affection he breathed life into us. Yes us. For that divine spark of life passes in unbroken succession from parent to child, from the first couple to us. This Advent we begin by reminding ourselves that God has desired to be close to us all along. This story tells us about the very first time God came to Earth. May he always be welcome among us!

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Mark 14:21-26

TEXT When they had sung a hymn... Even if Mark could have known how much some of us would want a soundbite of that singing, there was no way for him to give it to us. Lyrics would have been nice, but unsatisfying. I don't think he had any access to a system of musical notation. But, even if he had, there is still so much left out. Who sang the loudest? Who was always a little flat? What emotion? Did Jesus's voice quiver? Did they all close their eyes? Was it a song of the synagogue with stirring lyrics and artful poetry? Or, was it a children's hymn like our Blue Skies and Rainbows and commonly sung at the family passover meal... loaded with memories. For now, it will have to be enough to know that they sang a hymn. Somehow, it makes me feel a connection to this ancient story. When we sing hymns like O Sacred Head or spiritual songs like Sing Hallelujah to the Lord, we connect ourselves to God's faithful.

May that connection be one of the things we can't leave behind.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

John 13:21-38

TEXT You will disown me... How harsh was that word to Peter? Yesterday Barack Obama used that word. As he explained his relationship with his former pastor he said, "I can no more disown him than I can my own white grandmother... they are a part of me." Senator Obama was explaining why, though he disagreed strongly with Pastor Wright's inflammatory comments and his grandmother's racially jaded perceptions he maintained relationship with people who had participated significantly in important parts of his life. However one evaluates the Senator's speech, the power of the word disown must be recognized. We fear being disowned and must be pushed to our wits end, before we can disown a loved one. How do we own Jesus? Not like we own a pet or a thing. More like parents are "ours"? Something like "owning up to a deed we thought was secret"? However it looks, may our ownership of Jesus and his ownership of us be something we can't leave behind.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Ezekiel 37:1-14

TEXT

Breath. God tells Ezekiel to prophesy directly to the "breath". Breath and body are two different things. You can have the body, but without the "breath" the body is just bones, tendons, and muscles. What is the "breath"? In the beginning Adam is given the breath of life (Genesis 2:7). Jesus was given the breath of life at birth and took his last breath at death (Matthew 27) and had breath again at the resurrection. There is something to this "breath" thing…

Could this also be a vision of the "Resurrection of the Saints"?

Monday, March 17, 2008

John 12:1-11

TEXT fragrant memories On occasions where I am going to be away from home for a few days I have a practice some might call odd. After packing for the trip and just before loading the car I switch pillow cases with Brenda. The first few times I did this she didn't even know. Here's my thing. When I lay my head on my pillow at night, I want to smell her. If we are apart and I can't kiss her forehead or hear her breathing, I just want to smell her. I started this odd practice after reading a poem by a grieving husband about his fading memories of her. I don't mean to be depressing, but this is the only way I can understand what is happening here in John 12. As far as I can understand all of the gospel writers attest to the inability of the disciples to "get it" when Jesus predicts his imminent death. Mary seems to "get" that something dark and painful is coming. Our English versions wrestle with how to interpret verse seven. The NASB translates Jesus's explanation of her action this way: so that she may keep it for the day of My burial. Keep what? She has poured out all the perfumed oil. I doubt she thought anointing him now would make up for not being able to anoint him before burial on Friday. John 19:38-42 This act makes sense to me if I understand that Mary, sensing terrible events looming on the immediate horizon, binds herself to Jesus with a fragrant act of devotion. In humble tenderness, she massages his weary feet with scented oil. Then with a bold intimacy that disquiets us, she wipes up the excess with her hair. I see her massaging that oil into her hair and scalp and then cupping handfuls of hair onto her face to breath in deeply the fragrant memory she wants to save of that moment. May such a memory be one of the things we can't leave behind.

Friday, March 14, 2008

Isaiah 53:7-9

MSG, TNIV, NRSV, NASB A rich man's tomb? Do translation and interpretation matter? Depending on which version you read (I've given you links to four) verse nine discusses either the Suffering Servant's two possible tombs (with the wicked or the rich) or it points to the end he has in common with all people: burial. I like the Message. Peterson leaves this Jewish poetic device in place. The parallelism (two lines discussing the same topic) makes me think about my own end. The NASB, KJV and NKJV all give the impression that the Suffering Servant was rewarded with a rich man's tomb because of his innocence. The other versions imply that he died and was buried, in spite of his innocence. Would a messiah willing to suffer humiliation, torture and death be motivated by the hope that he would be buried in a rich man's tomb? The purpose of a tomb carved out of rock, covered with a large stone and guarded by soldiers seems to be about evidence of the resurrection power. What if that's the point? That Jesus really died and was really buried and was really raised? That thought made Paul write Philippians 3:10-11. Now when I go to the grave, one of the things I can't leave behind is faith in the resurrection power of Jesus Christ!

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Isaiah 53:1--6

TEXT Who has believed? Today we read the 2nd part of a poem that spans Isaiah 52:13-53:12. We marvel at the parallels in Isaiah 53 and the Passion story. Moved by the time and distance between the book of Isaiah and the Gospels, we contemplate our Savior's suffering. But today, 53:1 arrests my attention. Peterson's puts it like this: Who would have thought God's saving power would look like this? Ask a non-believer what they think about the core story of Easter. Ask someone who isn't a big church goer, what they think about when they hear Christians talking about Jesus's back ripped apart by leather straps and shards of pottery, his nail pierced hands and his spear pierced side. If just the thought of having that conversation disquiets you, then you start to understand Paul's thoughts in 1 Cor. 1:18-25. The cross is a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles. How will we take up the cross as a thing we can't leave behind?

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

II Corinthians 1:3-11

Several years ago Cindy shot a video testimony of a man who was battling cancer. He had accepted the fact that if God didn’t save him, he was going to die. He talked of the agony he felt about leaving his family and giving his six year old son an honest answer when he asked: “Daddy, are you going to die?” At the same time, he longed for the day he would be free of the physical pain and be held in Jesus’ arms. He was at peace with what God was going to do: Heal him or call him home. “Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God…” Do I have enough faith to experience comfort and hope in the face of death? I don’t even have enough to experience it in the face of a stack of bills. The passage tells us that God comforts us so that we can comfort others. My self-reliance not only deprives me of the peace God wants to give me, it deprives me of the ability to pass it on to others.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

1 Peter 2:21-25

TEXT

My first summer here at Oak Ridge we took some students to Youth Wave in Austin. This event, like any event, has good and bad points. One of the things that I liked most about the week was the time spend each night with just our students. It was myself and Stacey along with Teryn Mize, Kyle Davis, Andrew Harmon, and Brian (can't remember his name…ask me in person why!). We have some really good discussions that week about heaven, hell, Jesus and everything in between. One discussion that I will never forget was an argument between Andrew and I over whether or not it was possible for a human (you or me) to be perfect like Jesus was perfect. If we started to right now, was it possible to go the rest of our lives without sin. Andrew was on the "no way" side and I argued that "with God" all things are possible. That may sound cheesy now, but think about it…

Im not sure what I believe now. I have flipped and flopped numerous times since that discussion at Krispy Kreme in Austin. 1 Peter brings this whole idea rushing back into my head. Christ was an example for me so that I may follow in his steps. Really? Is that even possible and at what level? I think the right answer and the life that follows are too hard so I would just rather say that we can't be perfect so I can keep my life simple.

Monday, March 10, 2008

Acts 14:19-28

TEXT (You can right click and select "Open Link in New Window" or "Open Link in New Tab". That will let you travel back and forth to read here and there.) If for some reason you didn't read the text before starting to read this blog, go back now and do so. Our reading takes us through the last legs of Paul's first missionary journey. (See map and additional information HERE.) In Acts 13:2 Luke tells the story of the Holy Spirit calling Saul (Paul) and Barnabas to a particular work and then telling the prophets in Antioch to set them apart. They fast and pray and lay hands on Saul and Barnabas and send them out. Imagine the mix of anticipation and anxiety those two felt as they sailed off to alter the course of history. What faith! But in our reading we see their faith grown even bolder. Look again at verse 23. After making their loop planting churches in Asia minor they go back through, ordain elders, and head back to Antioch in Syria. Can you imagine? These elders weren't the mature Christians. They were likely mature believers. But think about it. They had no New Testament. They had no Sunday School curriculum or Bible Teacher Workshops. They had no creeds or brotherhood newspapers or filmstrips. Al Gore hadn't even invented the internet yet! But Paul and Barnabas blessed them, left them believing leadership, and trusted the Holy Spirit to build them into the body of Christ. That is something we can't leave behind.

Saturday, March 8, 2008

Romans 8:31-39

TEXT The first internship I did was in Canton, TX. I was 20 and going into my junior year of college. I really had no idea what I was doing. The youth minister at the church stuck around for about the first two weeks of my internship and then moved his family to Dallas and I heard from him once in the next 8 weeks. There was nothing on the calendar and I had no previous experience with youth ministry, I just thought it would be a fun thing to do over the summer. I learned a lot about youth ministry and church that summer, things I will never forget as long as I live. I put together a canoe trip for the end of the summer for the students and we ended up taking about 15 kids to Oklahoma for three days of fun. The canoe trip was a disaster (ask me later), but the camping was a lot of fun. Each night was spent in Romans 8:28-39. We had some really good discussions and thoughts over this and all in all the weekend was a success. One of the things that I cannot leave behind as we go through 2008 is this passage. It is something that has stuck with me and will always bring back good memories of my first youth group. What passages are like that for you?

Colossians 3:1-17

TEXT My NIV labels this section of scripture as “Rules for Holy Living”. I really don’t like the usage of the word rules because it makes me think of God as a principal or cop, but I will go with it today. One thing that has stood out to me over the last couple of weeks is how inconsistent I am with scripture. Some things I follow to the letter of the law and others I just don’t see them as that important. Colossians 3 is a great example of how I read scripture in a very inconsistent way. The focus seems to always be on verses 5-9 and that is the meat of what we talk about. How many lessons have I heard about not having sex, don’t be greedy, stop cussing, and don’t ever get angry? It was all about what I was not supposed to do. If I just DON’T do these things then I will be holy! What happened to verses 10-17? I think one of the biggest problems the church faces today is that people have no idea what it means to be a Christian. They know what it means to NOT be a Christian, but we are lost when it come to looking like a follower of Christ. Maybe we should finish chapters in the Bible instead of just picking and choosing what we want to read.

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Isaiah 25:1-9

TEXT The Power of Imagery Oh the relief from a puffy white cloud, blocking a hot August sun, for me and my lawn mower! - Get a piece of scrap paper, or open your Bibles to Isaiah 25. Either write down or point to each one of the images Isaiah uses. Stop and consider what each image communicates about God. - Our journey through Lent to Easter nears its destination. It is helpful to stop and remember the goodness of our God. We strengthen our faith in the Shepherd's rod and staff. - In John's Gospel Jesus withdraws from Jerusalem. (John 11:54) In the company of his disciples he strengthens his faith. Before the passion he will return to Mary, Martha and Lazarus. - There is imagery in Isaiah 25 Jesus may have contemplated. Jesus rests in God's shelters, his shade and feeds as his banquet. Perhaps he most comforting image: God swallows up death. - These images of God are things we can't leave behind.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Romans 1:1-7; 16-17

TEXT

I want piggy back off of what Ron said here and say that most of the time we read Romans through the lens of the individual. What happens when we re-read the book of Romans as a community? Today we read the first seven verses and Paul is already speaking in "community" terms: "…among all the Gentiles", "you are also among them…", "To all those loved by God…" This continues into verses 16-17 as well and I would be willing to bet if we read the book through we would see a lot of places where Paul is interested in the community as a whole as well as the individual. What does this mean? I have no idea, but it is why I love to read the Bible. I have a degree from the great ACU and I have never thought about this before! I've so enjoyed these last couple of weeks because there is so much of the text that becomes new to me every time we do something like this!

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

1 Corinthians 15:1-28

TEXT

Im still working through this book and have really enjoyed the way it gives me tired head. Last night I was watching the snow and trying to grasp one of the ideas that the author is trying to make (I understand this may make no sense if you haven't read the book…sorry):

The language of Jesus was not privileged…Paul evidently was under no compulsion to use Jesus' "kingdom" language. The apostle John wasn't either; he turned the rhetoric of Jesus about "kingdom into rhetoric of "eternal life." The writer of Hebrews explored Jesus' redemptive work through the imagery of the temple and the priesthood, and he felt no compulsion to use Jesus' or Paul's language for the work of God. No one seemed tied to the language of Jesus. (p.89)

The book is about atonement and this comes from a discussion of whether or not Jesus understood his death to be atoning and also how Paul viewed the death of Jesus. I have been reading over and over again this passage today and all I can think is what would Jesus have to say about what Paul writes? Not that I think it is wrong or bad, but the language is different. The gospel to Paul was that Christ died for our sins and without the resurrection we are futile. Jesus has some different things to say about the kingdom and the "good news." I think it would include death and resurrection, but also life.

Monday, March 3, 2008

Matthew 11:2-19

TEXT

Three things that made me think out of today's passage:

  1. John sends his disciples to Jesus to ask if he is "the one to come, or should we wait for someone else?" I love the answer that Jesus gives: "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me." Not a yes or no answer!!! Jesus lets his actions speak for themselves. I talked for about 25 minutes yesterday to a group of 185 people…maybe I should follow that up with some action!!!
  2. Jesus claims that the least in the Kingdom of Heaven are still greater than John after saying that there is no greater man on the planet that John. Is Jesus right about everything? So that means that there are a lot of people we won't let come to church that are better than John the Baptist?
  3. Is a tax collector a sinner? Why are the always separated, "tax collectors and sinners"?

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Romans 12

TEXT every ONE of YOU I read all of chapter twelve but I kept coming back to the first three verses. Is Paul commanding each one of us to be transformed individually? Or, is he asking for a communal transformation? Actually I went back to chapter eleven. I don't think the "therefore" in 12:1 connects back to the doxology of 11:33-36. I think it connects back to the word "mercy" in the conclusion of Paul's musings about the salvation of Israel in 11:32. Paul seems to be saying, "God has shown and is showing mercy to Israel and to us the Gentiles. Therefore, let us be transformed." This is one of those times when pulling the old King James off the shelf is very helpful. If the KJV uses "you, your, yours" the Greek is plural and refers to the group. If the KJV uses variations of "he" or "thee" it is singular and refering to an individual. So here is my question for you, and I hope to be overloaded with responses. (Click on the word "comments" just below these paragraphs and follow the instructions.) I contend that we have misread this passage and taught ourselves to transform our individual selves. How do things change if Paul is actually calling us to transform and serve the body of Christ communally?

Friday, February 29, 2008

Philemon 8-21

TEXT Fake it 'till you make it Like many other people I first heard this slogan at an AA meeting. The words bothered me. How could a support group based on honesty suggest that someone, especially a newcomer, fake it? The setting caught my attention. Here was a "business professional" in a tailored suit and loosened tie using this slogan to convince a social outcast to get up off his "bottom" and try again. The social outcast wanted to give up. The business professional was telling him it didn't matter what he wanted, what he did (coming to another meeting and confessing his relapse) would save him. Silk ties and ratty t-shirts faded into ambiguity as they dropped tears on each other's shoulders in a brotherly embrace. One blogger put it this way. Now, what AA's slogan taught me is that your whole heart does not have to be in an act from the very first moment in order for that act to be authentic. We may have an intent for something to be true and then bring it to life in our behavior; giving intention momentum through action. The letter to Philemon carries a similar message. Paul most likely renames Philemon's slave. Onesimus means useful. It would seem Paul hopes to change Philemon's view of Onesimus and perhaps Onesimus's view of himself. Paul presents a strong case to Philemon for accepting Onesimus back without punishment and for receiving him as a brother. It is not difficult to read the persuasion between the lines. But it is not selfish manipulation. Paul believes that people can overcome their sinful impulses by choosing to do the right thing even when they want to do the wrong thing. Self-denial, fasting, regular prayer, daily Scripture reading, these can all be done with a false heart. But, doing them when we would rather not does not necessarily make us hypocrites. We can't leave behind the decision to do what is right and healthy and good, even if we don't feel like it. Philippians 4:8-9

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Colossians 3:1-17

TEXT The Lord of Outbursts If that title makes you nervous, skip this blog. Colossians 3 describes two ways of living: 1. under control of the parts of us that belong to the earth, or 2. submission to the spiritual reality of our citizenship above. Paul asks us to seek and think about the things above. Then he orders the execution of the parts of us that belong to the earth. In verses 8-13 he expands a clothing metaphor. The key phrase in verse 8: put off all such things (NET). We imagine taking off our anger-pants, slander-shirts, and lie-ties. Then we pull on compassion-slacks, humility-shirts, and patience-hats. Unhappily, many seem to want to dress without first undressing. We feel good about a God who wants to dress us up. But only a politically-incorrect God would criticize someone's old clothes. Verse six disquiets us. We avoid sermons about the "wrath of God." Next time you do a study on the "names of God" notice the one in 2 Samuel 5:21. David describes God as Baal Perazim. The Hebrew translates to Lord of outbursts. David uses that description again in the very next story. Here's my thought. Do we want a "kind" God who is tolerant of evil? When a malicious man slaps around his children, do we want God to look the other way? Or, do we want God's holy anger to burn against injury of the innocent, lies that lead to injustice, and slander that starts wars. Hitler's vilification of the Jews began as ethnic jokes in the pubs. Perhaps when we understand that, we will be ready look in the mirror ask the Holy Spirit to help us kill off whatever belongs to our earthly nature. Then we can dress in the all the clothing we can't leave behind.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Hebrews 2:1-18

TEXT

I am sitting in the waiting room after Ron's surgery and the people and noise are a little distracting, so I don't have lot to offer this afternoon. I am reading a book by Scot McKnight entitled "A Community Called Atonement" and so I have had atonement on the brain for about week as I swim through this great book.

So I ask this question: What does "atonement" mean to you?

(I went to Webster's Dictionary first and then to the theological dictionary to start my mind down the right track)

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Joshua 24:14-28

TEXT

This is somewhat of a hopeless passage for me. While I respect the people for wanting to make the "right" choice by choosing God, don't they know they will fail? I wonder what it would be like to read this passage without any knowledge of what follows. Do they really choose God? Have these desert wanderers really straightened up? I know what happens and so I wonder why they even chose God to begin with. Some people say that there are only two things that are certain: death and taxes. Can I add failure to that list? We are destined to be failures. That may seem a wee bit defeatist, but I really think we have to recognize the fact that we will fail. The people in the story are so proud and want so badly not to "forsake" God, but what if they had realized their humanness and accepted the fact they could not keep the promise of Joshua 24? I have a poster in my office that at one time I read every day and believed it! Then, somewhere in the last few years, I decided failure wasn't an option and it became a nice decoration. Maybe I need to read it again:

"I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 3000 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."

Michael Jordan

God,

Open my eyes to my own humanness. Help me accept me for…me. And out of that acceptance may I truly know the love you have for me and amazing grace that you give.

 

Monday, February 25, 2008

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

TEXT

I have just spent the last hour or so "chasing" blogs about a new book that was just released by one of my favorite authors, Tony Jones. Mr. Jones has written a book (found here) that is causing quite a stir! I won't bore you with details, but I spent an hour reading praises for the book as well as many criticisms. The major argument is that Tony Jones sits outside of traditional "orthodoxy" (here). I have read so many "big" words in the last hour that I have come down with a severe case of tired head. The blogs are all written by people with a lot of letters after their names and so that gives them some sort of street cred! After looking in my theological dictionary for the fourth time in an hour I decided I needed to blog about today's passage…

We get so uptight about other people. We spend so much of our time worried what others are doing and saying that we forget about ourselves. I want to learn to love the Lord, walk in his ways, and to keep his commands. I want to do these three things really well before I start to look at how well you are doing. I want to leave behind this arrogance that I have it all together and take with me my own brokenness. I want to be able to say "…the Lord is my life." (v.20)

Friday, February 22, 2008

Romans 8:18-25

TEXT Creation Groans It is difficult to read this passage in Romans 8 without hearing it through our 21st Century filters. We are surrounded by messages about global warming and how to live a "greener" life. Christians with an environmental conscience have put What Would Jesus Drive? bumper stickers on their economy cars. And little 'ol Oak Ridge has two-count-'em-TWO recycling dumpsters! We might be tempted to say that in the first century, Paul couldn't have had any of this in mind. But wait a minute. If this passage connects with the one above it (and I think it does) then Paul is certainly calling us to consider how our new spiritual nature connects with the rest of creation. Paul is plainly saying that the creation's groaning is illustrative of our own eagerness to see our bodies redeemed. Our adoption occurs in this life and the Spirit intercedes for us in this life. God seems interested in us returning to the place where he called the creation of humans "good." Could he care less about the rest of creation that he created "good." This seems like the minimal application of this text to me. God desires that as we grow in our adoption and put to death the misdeeds of our body, that selfish consumption dies too. Children of God will car pool, recycle and simplify. We will open the door for others and pick up other people's trash as well as our own. Christians can make do and repair things, avoid impulsive purchases, and downsize. "Our present sufferings" in verse 18 are not persecutions and illnesses. They are the sufferings associated with self-discipline. Perhaps self-control is one of those things we can't leave behind.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

John 6:22-40

TEXT

Why?

Why can't they just believe him?

Why did they need a sign?

We are always looking for proof. We like it better when we can see for ourselves before we make decisions. Ever been to consumerreports.org? Someone has tested whatever it is that you are thinking about buying. There is proof that the product either works or doesn't. You now get reviews online for everything from hotel rooms to baby beds. Just yesterday Stacey was looking at beds online and was reading the reviews for this one particular bed…all the reviews she read were positive except for one! Guess what? We aren't buying that bed because someone didn't like it. We want a "sign" that what we are getting is worthy of us having it. One star? No way, give me at least 3.5!

Do we do this with God? I do. Sure, I don't say that I want God to show me a "miraculous sign", I usually say something like "God will open that door if he wants me to do that."

How can I be less like the people in this story and more like Abraham leaving his home not knowing what was ahead?

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

John 7:37-44

TEXT Living Water By the time I get to the end of a cruise you would think I'd have eaten enough. Not me. I get up early that last morning and eat breakfast like I am trying to help the kitchen clean out before the next trip. As we disembark with all our luggage I realize how sedentary and gluttonous I've been. By the time lunch rolls around all I want is a bottle of water. In our text we find Jesus in Jerusalem on the last and greatest day of the Feast of Tabernacles. For six days the people have been commemorating the 40 years of wilderness wanderings, celebrating the harvest, socializing and eating Levi's BBQ. Now the families have gathered for one more day of picnicking in and around the Temple courts or out in the fields around their campfires. Invited a guests receive a cup of water as a first sign of hospitality. In this setting Jesus stands up and offers everyone water; living water. If you go back and read the whole chapter you find a theme of conflict between Jesus and those who doubt him. His brothers poke fun at him. The religious leaders plot against him. The people are divided. Some question, others proclaim he is surely the Prophet. Some are satisfied with life just the way it is, others thirst for what Jesus has to offer. Hopefully our Lenten journey will not be one of sedentary gluttony. We pray it makes us thirsty. Jesus offers us the living water of fellowship with him. Will that water be one of those things you can't leave behind?

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Isaiah 55

TEXT

It is comforting for me to read a passage like Isaiah 55, because I am so thirsty for God. It has been good today to read over and over again this invitation to come a drink with him…

"…but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

Get any minister to be 100% honest and they will tell you that they count the people in the seats. It matters to us. It matters to the people in the seats. Numbers matter. The more seats that are filled, the more successful a church is. This may or may not be true, but as a student minister I feel immense pressure to "save" a generation. Parents drop off students and when they pick them back up they are supposed to well-polished "Christians". My perception may have certainly become my reality and every parent may not think this way, but I feel the weight of this pressure daily. Can I be content to know that God's word does not come back empty? Can I be satisfied with God accomplishing what HE desires? How long before I realize that I am just clay in the potter's hands?

Monday, February 18, 2008

Psalm 63:1-8

TEXT I tried to find a blog that I wrote about 4 years ago called "Backpack God" but could not find it, the basic idea was that God was nothing more than the backpack I carry with me wherever I go. If I need something I just get it out of my backpack, use it, then throw the backpack over my shoulder and get on with my day. I never leave my house with out my backpack and wouldn't think about coming to church without it! But in all honesty I don't need my backpack to survive and it has no real impact on my life unless I absolutley need something out of it. Most of the time it sits on my floor at work or slung over a chair at my house. When I really think about it...this is how I treat God most of the time as well. I love the passion in Psalm 63. When I read words like this I can't help but envy the feelings the writer has for the Lord. What is like to "long" for God? My NET Bible uses the word yearn, have you ever yearned for God? I never feel this way about "Backpack God"...

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Colossians 3:1-17

TEXT What Not to Wear It is a cold and rainy Saturday morning here in Parker County. And if you think about it, each part of that previous sentence affects the way you dress. There are exceptions of course (retired folk, people who work on Saturday, etc.) but for most of us cold + rainy + Saturday morning + Parker County = soft jeans or sweats, warm thick socks, a comfy long sleeved shirt, and if one must go outside a rain jacket of some sort. In Colossians 3 Paul calls for a change of clothes. The analogy actually goes deeper. Forget Stacy and Clinton's plastic trash bin, Paul wants us to take our old clothes out and bury them! Paul wants to make sure the Colossians remember the affect grace is supposed to have on our lives. During Lent, we reflect on Jesus's sacrifice. We consider the worldly baggage we've accumulated. We clean out our closets. If we have been wearing anger, filthy language, and lies we take them off and bury them. We stand naked before the Lord and ask to be clothed in compassion, gentleness and love. (See also Revelation 3:17-19) We can leave behind the things of this world. What we can't leave behind are the character traits of Christ.

Friday, February 15, 2008

Acts 26:2-29

TEXT Kicking against the goads. A city boy from America sometimes has trouble reading the Bible. What's a goad? Why is Paul kicking some of them? One boy asked, "Isn't a goad that round rock that has pretty crystals inside?" Ok. We have an assumption. Next the hypothesis: "He must be trying to break them open by kicking them down the road." Actually, a goad is a sharpened stick. Rural folk poke their oxen with them. That's how a 90 pound boy can get a 1,000 pound ox to go where he wants. Usually a little poke makes the point... (pun intended) and the ox responds. But, a wise ox boy uses a goad long enough to stay clear of flying hooves. Saul is being goaded. Someone wants him to go a different direction. But, Saul thinks he is sure of where he is going. He has a plan to please God. Then a blinding light. Paul forgot to ask God's opinion of his plan. If Jesus is true to his analogy here, he has been after Paul for some time. Maybe the first goad Paul ignored was the innocent eyes of Stephen. Maybe Paul has lost sleep thinking about the stories of Jesus' resurrection. Whatever led to this point, Paul made his decision here. He told Agrippa, "I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven." When does obedience come in our lives?

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Luke 19:1-10

TEXT

What is it about being in the presence of Jesus that makes Zacchaeus to want give half his possessions to the poor and pay back anyone he has cheated? There is obviously more to the conversation than what Luke provides here, but I don't get the sense that Jesus ever asks Zacchaeus to this. The "ruler" from Mark 10 comes to Jesus and asks what he can do to inherit eternal life, but Zacchaeus is just trying to find out who Jesus was (v. 3). There is just something about Jesus that draws the unexpected people of his time to do some really amazing things. I'd like to think I would have been a Zacchaeus, someone who is just trying to find out what is going on and then making a drastic change in my life and following Jesus. Im probably more like the other people in the story, standing and questioning Jesus, but I want to become more like Zacchaeus…

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

John 9

TEXT Isn't John 9 an amazing story? It draws us in through all our senses. We start out looking over the disciples shoulders at a blind man and wondering what it would be like to live in darkness. There's the sound of Jesus spitting. One can almost feel the cool, slimy-yet-gritty mud in Jesus' palm as he rubs it into paste. There's that public-fountain-smell around the pool of Siloam just before the sound of the splash that washes away the mud. And then POW! Color is everywhere! Those of us who've had sight all our lives are seeing a brand new with him! White clouds pulse in front of an endless blue sky. Green palms accent everything. A dark red ant crawls over someone's brown toe. We're like kids on a playground. Someone points at a banana and shout's yellow! We chase a rust colored dog through the market. A merchant holds up a carpet and our once-blind-friend runs his hand over it studying the intricate interplay of color and texture. We turn and enter the synagogue. And the wise rabbi unrolls the scroll and brand new eyes gloss over with tears. Somehow they already know they are looking at holy words. Everyone's quiet. Then the hall monitors barge in! It is absolutely mind blowing that they can so focus on the crime and miss the miracle! But that's only because we see no better than they. Teachers often miss it when the playground bully stops to help a younger kid pick up the books she dropped. Restaurant managers don't always know that a regularly late employee is tardy because they drop off groceries to a shut in neighbor, who is lonely and likes to talk. Teenagers can simply be blind to the breathtaking talent of the shy, pimple-face artist in the back of the room. It is probably true that people bring most of their suffering on to themselves. But one doesn't have to have 20/20 eyesight to see that. To see miracles in messes, that takes eyes like Jesus. Peterson does a great job with verse 39. Here it is from the Message: Jesus then said, "I came into the world to bring everything into the clear light of day, making all the distinctions clear, so that those who have never seen will see, and those who have made a great pretense of seeing will be exposed as blind." Holy Father, who sees things as they are, and as they can be, help us see. Wash the scales of cynicism and hard history from our eyes. May holy vision be one of those things we can't leave behind. Grace and Peace be with you all,

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Ephesians 5:1-20

TEXT There is no escaping the first two verses, "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love..." No matter how bad I want to skip to the list of "don'ts", I have to read the passage in order. I must first be an imitator of God and learn to live a life of love. The next 18 verses seem to stem from these two ideas. We will understand what it means to "walk as children of light" when our focus moves to these first two verses instead of the lists. Somedays I love "WWJD" and then are days when it makes no sense to ask this question. If I am living my life out of love then this questions make perfect sense to me. When I am trying to imitate God I have to ask questions like, "Was Jesus right about everything and what does that mean for my life?" So...Was Jesus right about everything?

Monday, February 11, 2008

Ezekiel 36:22-32

TEXT Im teaching the Old Testament at Weatherford Christian School to 7th-9th graders. This has proved to be somewhat of challenge because many of them have been raised in "New Testament" Churches. We think the Old Testament has some really good stuff (Psalm 23, 10 Commandments, and Creation), but the "real" stuff is in the New Testament. I had one student here at Oak Ridge say that the Old Testament was "irrelevant" and we should focus just on the New Testament. I would say that most churches, without knowing it, have low view of the Old Testament. They aren't quite sure how it relates to their lives and their churches and so we just don't ever deal with it! In class at WCS we have worked our way all the way the the book of Proverbs and soon will begin the Major and Minor Prophets. Im looking forward to this becasue of passages like Ezekiel 36:22ff. Here God tells Ezekiel to tell the people that He is about to act not because of them, but for His own sake. If God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow...what does this tell about who God is? Does God's work within this world change when we read passages like this? I love the Old Testament because I feel like I am reading about a different God than the one I learned about in church growing up!!!

Saturday, February 9, 2008

John 17:20-26

TEXT In what ways are we one with the first disciples, the Father, and the Son? I just finished seeing U23D. The movie was shot at a concert in Buenos Aries and will show nation wide starting this Friday. I was at the U2 concert in Houston about 3 years ago and it was something that I will never forget. Watching this movie tonight all Icould think about was the thousands of people in a stadium singing along with an Irish band. I have the think that many of the people there that night new little, if any, English and yet the sang along with Bono and the band. There is something about their music that is unifying and uplifting to everyone. This may have nothing to do with this question or text but I had to blog about the experience. I will leave with the lyrics to one of my favorite songs and ask you to see the movie or just listen to the song... Is it getting better Or do you feel the same Will it make it easier on you Now you got someone to blame You say One love One life When its one need In the night Its one love We get to share it It leaves you baby If you dont care for it Did I disappoint you? Or leave a bad taste in your mouth? You act like you never had love And you want me to go without Well its too lateTonight To drag tha past out Into the light Were one But were not the same We get to carry each other Carry each other One Have you come here for forgiveness Have you come tor raise the dead Have you come here to play Jesus To the lepers in your head Did I ask too much More than a lot You gave me nothing Now its all I got Were one But were not the same We hurt each other Then we do it again You sayLove is a temple Love a higher law Love is a temple Love the higher law You ask me to enter But then you make me crawl And I cant be holding on To what you got When all you got is hurt One love One blood One life You got to do what you should One life With each other SistersBrothers One life But were not the same We get to carry each other Carry each other One One.

Friday, February 8, 2008

John 17:9-19

TEXT How do you understand sent and sanctified? Like I wrote about yesterday, I think that God sent Jesus to Earth to show us a new way to live within this world. At the end of his life Jesus nows sends his diciples into this same Earth to continue to show this new way of life. What is difficult to work through is that they were sent into the world and yet they were to be set apart (sanctified). One of my greatest struggles with students is to help them understand how to live in this world, but not of this world. We are sent into this world to be the hands and feet of Jesus and yet we are called to be set apart from it. If we are going to be these hands and feet then we have to be aware of the world we are in and how it works by actually living in it. To often we try and escape the world through all different kinds of ways like setting up our own "Christian Bubbles". When we do this it becomes harder to fully understand the idea of being sent. Sometimes we are good at being set apart, but struggle with being sent. Some love the idea of being sent, but have no idea what it means to be set apart. How do we do both?

Thursday, February 7, 2008

John 17:1-8

TEXT What does it mean that Jesus came from God and that God sent him to us? The Incarnation is a beautiful thing. God coming down to earth to walk, talk, eat, and sleep with humanity is too much for me to fully comprehend. Why would one choose to leave the splendor of heaven for the depravity of earth? For most of my life I have been taught that this world is not my home and I am just passing through. Everything was geared towards going to heaven when you die. All focus and attention of church was about leaving the depravity for the splendor. Don't get me wrong I want to go heaven and I want you to be there with me, but when I read passages like John 17:4 ("...by completing the work you gave me to do") I start to ask why did God send Jesus? Did he just send him so I could go to heaven or was there more to the plan? If the answer is just heaven then what "work" had Jesus completed, because he had yet to go to the cross? Jesus came from and was sent by God for reasons that go beyond just making sure we "go to Heaven when we die". He was sent into this depravity to teach a new way of life. Jesus came from God to be the visible form of an invisible God...a God in whose image we are made.